Devil May Care (The Grizzly MC Book 12) (6 page)

Chapter Eight

Saya was early in meeting Jakob, but she’d been nervous, and sitting at home staring at the clock was driving her nuts. Looking at her phone, she saw she had a good twenty minutes before he was due to arrive. The restaurant was small, a French style bistro with imported beers. She wasn’t much of a beer drinker, but she had a feeling she was going to need a little something to help her relax.

She’d spoken to her father on the phone before leaving, but she hadn’t told him she’d met Jakob. She hadn’t told him anything about the Grizzly Patch. It wasn’t as if she was nervous, ashamed, or afraid to tell her dad. Saya supposed it was because she didn’t know where this would lead. If it turned out to not work out for whatever reason she didn’t want to tell her father and have him worry even more about her.

He did that enough.

The sound of a car pulling up beside her had Saya looking out the passenger side window. A man and women were in the front seat, the guy shaking his head as the woman clearly yelled at him. Saya couldn’t hear what was being said because the windows were up, but it was clearly a fight. She shouldn’t watch, but it was like walking past an accident and knowing she should look away but being unable to.

The guy kept shaking his head, but then it was like an explosion as she saw the way his face changed, his anger took root. He started shouting at the woman, his hands moving up and down, as if they were animated with his rage. The next sequence happened like it was in slow motion. He turned and faced the woman in the passenger seat, reared his hand back, and slapped her across the face. Saya gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, stunned at what she’d just seen. They were in the space next to hers, and the fact he didn’t give a shit if anyone saw, made this even worse than it already was.

“Hell no,” she said to herself and got out of the car. The woman was crying, and the sound of him still shouting, and of her weeping, came through the car now that Saya was outside.

Saya had lived in a world where men respected women, and never, ever laid their hands on them. She grew up in an MC, and by reputation people thought a motorcycle club was nothing but hardcore bikers that liked to degrade women and do illegal things. She couldn’t speak for all MCs, but the one she’d been brought up in respected woman, and never touched them in an angry manner. If the Death Bringers saw a woman getting hurt they made sure to beat some ass.

She curled her hand into a fist and pounded on the driver’s side window. “Hey, asshole,” she said loud enough she knew the prick would be able to hear.

The woman covered her mouth and stopped crying, and the guy turned back in his seat and faced Saya. “What?” he said with anger in his voice.

“You’re a fucking asshole to think you can hit a woman and it’s okay.”

“I’m fine,” the woman said, her voice muffled through the glass.

Saya wasn’t going to let this go. The woman might have gotten slapped and not knocked the hell out by this asshole, but a hit was a hit. Any form of violence toward a woman no matter what was wrong on every level.

“I’m calling the cops on your ass.” Saya grabbed her cell, but before she could start dialing he opened the car door hard enough it slammed into her legs and knocked her back against the side of her car. The wind was knocked out of her momentarily, and her cell dropped to the ground, but she straightened, not about to let this dick intimidate her. Compared to the men she’d grown up around he was weak and a pussy.

“You’re a nosy bitch, you know that.”

“Kirk, come on, it’s fine,” the woman from the car said.

But Kirk the asshole didn’t say anything in response. Instead he bent down and picked up her cell. “Yeah, you should have just minded your own business.”

“Fuck you,” Saya said.

The guy’s nostrils flared, and she saw his face turn red. He lifted his hand, clearly about to slam her phone on the asphalt, but just as he was bringing his arm down a big hand wrapped around his wrist, stopping him.

She turned her focus to the side and saw Jakob standing by the man, towering over him by at least a foot, and so much bigger and stronger than this prick that it had her throat tightening. She had a twinge of sympathy for the asshole named Kirk, but then again he was a woman abuser, and whatever wrath Jakob dished out was well deserved.

Jakob took his other hand and grabbed Saya’s phone out of the Kirk’s hand and held it out for Saya. She swallowed, lifted her arm, and took the phone. Jakob had his focus on the asshole again, and Kirk was staring up at Jakob with wide eyes.

“What the fuck? Let go,” Kirk said, pleaded.

“If I’m hearing this correctly, you laid your hands on the woman in the car?” Jakob asked with a steady, calm but dangerous voice.

Kirk didn’t answer.

“And if I’m also understanding this, you knocked this female”—Jakob glanced at Saya, and then back at Kirk—“against the side of the car, and were about to destroy her property?”

Again Kirk didn’t say anything.

“Come out here,” Jakob said gently, addressing the woman in the car.

A second later the passenger side door opened, the woman climbed out, and she shut the door, clearly afraid of what was happening and of what had already happened.

“This motherfucker hit you?” Jakob asked it in question form, but Saya could tell it wasn’t like he didn’t already know the answer.

“It’s fine. Everything is fine,” the woman said softly, timidly.

Jakob turned his focus to the woman. “I can tell you’re afraid, and you don’t have to worry about that anymore.” Jakob looked at Kirk again. He leaned in and inhaled deeply. “You like hitting her, don’t you?”

Kirk started struggling. It was so clear by the way Kirk acted, that even though Saya wasn’t a shifter and had no heightened senses, she could tell the asshole was afraid.

Good, he should be given who he’s up against.

“We have arguments, that’s all.”

Jakob made a low, threatening sound in his throat.

“He hit you a lot?” Jakob asked the woman while still staring at Kirk.

“He…” She paused, her fear clear on her face.

“It’s okay. I’ll make sure he never hurts you again,” Jakob said.

“We have misunderstandings. He loses his temper. Everything is okay.”

“Shut the fuck up—”

Jakob slammed the guy against the hood of the car with enough force Kirk stopped speaking. Jakob was over him, inhaling again, and letting out the most animalistic sound she’d ever heard. Saya’s head hurt, her palms were sweating, and she thought this was one hell of a memorable first date.

Jakob lifted his hand, and in disbelief she watched his nail turn into a claw. He brought that razor sharp edge across Kirk’s cheek, opening his flesh up slightly. He then inhaled again.

“I have the scent of your blood engrained in my head. I can find you no matter what, and no matter how far you go.”

“Get the hell away from me.”

Jakob slapped Kirk right across the face, silencing him.

“You shut the fuck up and listen to what I’m saying, or I’ll break your legs and watch you crawl out of here.”

The guy clamped his mouth shut, the sweat on his forehead clear under the streetlamp.

“You’re not going to touch her again or I’ll hunt you down and cut your hands off before shoving them up your ass.” Jakob leaned in another inch. He was so close now he and Kirk were almost nose-to-nose. “I should kill you for hurting my female, but I’ll let you walk around in your own piss, and remember that I can find you at any given time.”

His female?

Saya knew it was probably just a term he was using to make his point clear, but she also couldn’t help the little tingle that moved through her at hearing Jakob say that about her.

Jakob took a step back, and when Kirk straightened Jakob punched him right in the face. Kirk spun around and fell to the ground, and Jakob looked at the other woman.

“If you were smart you’d leave him and get far away from his abusive ass.”

The woman nodded, but she didn’t move.

“You need a ride home?”

The woman shook her head. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

Jakob nodded and gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

Jakob moved up to where Saya was standing, and all she could do was stand there. She had no clue what to say or do, but she pushed past her surprise of the situation.

“I don’t really feel like dinner. Maybe we can just go and talk?” She needed somewhere quiet, without all the drama around.

Jakob’s jaw hardened, but he gave a sharp nod in response.

“I’ll drive.”

She followed him to his SUV, and once inside and moving away from Kirk and the scene, Saya breathed out, not realizing she’d been holding her breath.

****

He’d stopped at a gas station and grabbed a six-pack of beer before heading up the mountain. He didn’t know where to take her at first, but he figured going to the spot where he’d seen her after the fight seemed like a neutral, if not familiar place.

They’d been here for the last twenty minutes, drinking beer, looking at the town of Steel Corner, and having a comfortable, if not safe conversation. Now the silence moved between them, but it was nice, easy.

He couldn’t help but keep his focus on Saya. With the moonlight washing over her, she looked ethereal, and not quite real.

Maybe you just don’t realize what a lucky bastard are that she’s here with you right now?

No, he knew how lucky he was. Being with her made that darkness in him subside, and even when she wasn’t around if he just thought about her it made him calmer, feel not so volatile. Since meeting her, which wasn’t even that long ago, he hadn’t felt the urge to find that rush, to get that kick of adrenaline. He’d just been in this foggy acceptance that he’d found “the one”.

“Jakob?” she said his name softly, and everything in him came alert.

“Yeah?” He turned and faced her, breathing in her scent, seeing that she had her focus on him, too. The wind moved by, brushing the strands of her hair across her cheek. He resisted the urge to move it away, and instead grew hard, fucking ached in his cock and balls as he watched her do the act he’d wanted to.

She lifted her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear. Her gaze was on the ground, and when she brought it up to his, the sight of her blue eyes struck him hard like a damn anvil to the gut.

“Would it be weird, or really damn forward, if I asked to see your…”

Shit, if she says my cock I’m going to come right in my fucking jeans.

“Bear.”

His heart was thundering, and the knowledge this female,
his
female, which he’d already decided she was without a doubt, wanted to see his animal, made him hotter than fuck.

“You want to see my beast?”

She licked her lips and nodded.

He stood, not about to pussyfoot around it, because truth was his fucking bear wanted out, wanted to show her how powerful he was, how dangerous he could be. His animal wanted her to see that he could protect her at all costs. It was an alpha move for sure, but he was one, after all, and having her be witness to what he really was, had this surge of energy moving through him.

His animal rose up, anxious to show her exactly what he was made of, exactly what kind of beast he was. He wanted to let her touch him and stroke him. Jakob wanted to look in her eyes and see the realization that she was his, and his bear wouldn’t let her go. He may not have made any declaration about it, never admitted to wanting her as only his, but she’d find out soon enough.

“Are you sure you want to see my animal, Saya?”

She didn’t speak for a second, but finally nodded. “Aside from the fight I saw you in, I’ve never seen a shifter in his animal form before, never witnessed them actually turning. It was exciting then, and I think it’ll be like the first time all over again, Jakob.”

He thought her talking about “the first time”, and his mind went right in the damn gutter.
Fuck, I want her.

He was anticipating this.

“Will you be able to control yourself when you turn?”

He sensed the nervousness in her voice, knew she was anxious, as well. “Will you be able to control yourself and not revert to your animal?”

She was afraid he’d hurt her. He could sense it in the air.

Jakob couldn’t stop himself from growling low at the thought of hurting her. He moved closer and stared at her right in the eyes. “He’d never hurt you. We’re one and the same, and I am right here with him when I turn.”

She slowly rose, and for a suspended second they just stood there, neither speaking, both breathing heavily.

“Then I want to see him, Jakob,” she said softly.

This female made everything in him come alive to the nth degree, and he’d never deny her. They might have just met, and this was their first “date” or whatever the fuck someone would call it, but he’d give her the moon if she kept making him feel like this.

He moved back, breathing in and out as he felt his bear overtake him. He took off his clothes so he wouldn’t have to take her back home naked. For a second he just stood there, and let her look her fill, which she was doing to his pleasure. She moved her gaze up and down his form, her eyes widening slightly when he saw his cock, which was getting hard from just being around her.